Fluidized Retaining Members for Rapid Soil Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for installing walls and sound barriers are time-consuming and wasteful, requiring precise setup and significant materials, especially due to the need for grouting and waiting for concrete to set, which prolongs the installation process and leads to material inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The use of pre-stressed concrete or post-tensioned retaining members that are fluidized into the soil using water or air pressure, eliminating the need for grouting and allowing for rapid installation by compacting the soil to support the members, thereby reducing material waste and installation time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional grouting methods are used to install retaining members, then the members can be securely anchored, but the installation time increases significantly and materials are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical grouting system with a hydraulic jetting system. Instead of injecting grout to anchor retaining members, high-pressure water or air jets are used to penetrate soil and create cavities that allow the members to be inserted and held by friction and soil displacement, eliminating the need for grout curing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic and pneumatic principles by using high-pressure water jets or air compression to penetrate soil, create cavities, and facilitate the insertion of retaining members. The fluid pressure enables soil penetration and member installation without requiring grout or concrete setting
2Stability of the object's composition
If concrete footings are poured and allowed to set before installing retaining members, then stable foundation is achieved, but the overall installation duration is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the concrete pouring and curing process with a hydraulic jetting process. High-pressure water or air jets penetrate the soil directly to create cavities for retaining member installation, eliminating the need for concrete footings and their associated curing time while maintaining soil stability through hydraulic compression
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the concrete footing step from the installation process. Instead of pouring and curing concrete foundations, the system directly treats the soil through hydraulic jetting to create the necessary support conditions for retaining member installation, removing the time-consuming curing requirement
3Reliability
If H-shaped posts are inserted into holes filled with grout, then the posts are secured, but the process requires precise setup and extra steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the grout-based securing system with a hydraulic jetting system. High-pressure water or air jets create cavities in the soil that secure H-shaped posts through friction and soil displacement, eliminating the need for precise grout mixing, pouring, and curing operations while maintaining secure post anchoring
4Reliability
If grout is used to fill holes for post installation, then posts are anchored, but material waste occurs due to excess grout volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the grout-based anchoring system with a hydraulic jetting system that uses water or air to create cavities for post installation. This substitution eliminates the need for grout entirely, preventing material waste while maintaining effective post anchoring through soil displacement and friction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water or air as temporary, disposable media to create the necessary soil cavities for post installation. These fluids are inexpensive, leave no waste, and can be easily applied and removed, replacing the need for permanent grout materials that cause waste
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables rapid construction of wall sections without delays caused by concrete setting, reduces material waste, and enhances the structural integrity of the retaining members by preventing cracking and corrosion, while supporting high wind shear loads.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid may be injected at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to fluidize the soil below the retaining members
Implementation Method 2
the fluidized soil is compacted following fluidization of the soil and insertion of the retaining member into the soil
Data Source
AI summary
A pair of retaining members each comprise a paddle-shaped end portion and a retaining portion between which a wall panel is retained. The panel-shaped end portion has at least one channel and exit ports through which a fluid is capable of being injected in order to fluidize the soil beneath the retaining members, causing the panel-shaped end portion to sink into the soil and consolidating the soil surrounding the panel-shaped end portion. The shape and soil consolidation work to fix the panel in position, sometimes without the need for soil grouting or other soil consolidation processes that would be required, otherwise.